Cancer Bats
Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones
Good Fight/Distort
7/10

This album is just balls to the fucking wall. It’s brutal, edgy, powerful and just… good. I find it ironic that the lead off track is titled “Sleep This Away,” because after listening to the loud, extreme song, there will be no sleep. Loud and hard is the motto for this album, and frankly, I do not mind one bit.

Though this is definitely their hardest album to date, CB has also gone with a “If it’s not broke, then why fix it?” mentality, and it works for them. “Scared to Death,” which is the first single off the album, has a bit of an older rock feel, but manages to keep their edge with precise drumming and a harder version of a surf guitar sound. The last song, a cover of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” is just a harder, louder version of the original. Some songs should be left alone, but they actually did a great job in the cover.

If you listen to this album and don’t want to punch a baby, then I commend you.

–Jeff Curtis